Chapter 1 (626/1996)
Scope of application of the criminal law of Finland
Section 3 (626/1996)
Offence directed at Finland
Finnish law applies to such an offence committed outside of Finland that was directed at Finland.
An offence is deemed to have been directed at Finland, if
1) it is an offence of treason or high treason,
2) the act has otherwise seriously violated or endangered the national, military or economic rights or interests of Finland, or
3) it has been directed at a Finnish authority.
Chapter 1 (626/1996)
Scope of application of the criminal law of Finland
Section 5 (626/1996)
Offence directed at a Finnish person
Finnish law applies to an offence committed outside of Finland that has been directed at a Finnish citizen, a Finnish corporate entity, a Finnish foundation or another Finnish legal person, or an alien permanently resident in Finland, if a sentence of imprisonment of more than six months may be imposed for the act under Finnish law.
Chapter 1 (626/1996)
Scope of application of the criminal law of Finland
Section 8 (626/1996)
Other offence committed outside of Finland
Finnish law applies to such an offence committed outside of Finland for which a sentence of imprisonment of more than six months may be imposed under Finnish law, if the state in whose territory the offence was committed has requested that charges be brought in a Finnish court or that the perpetrator be extradited because of the offence, but the request has not been granted.
Chapter 1 (626/1996)
Scope of application of the criminal law of Finland
Section 10 (626/1996)
Place of commission
An offence is deemed to have been committed both where the criminal act was committed and where the consequence specified in the statutory definition of the offence occurred. An offence of omission is deemed to have been committed both where the perpetrator should have acted and where the consequence specified in the statutory definition of the offence occurred.
If an offence remains an attempt, it is also deemed to have been committed where the consequence specified in the statutory definition of the offence either probably or in the opinion of the perpetrator would have occurred, if the offence had been completed.
An offence by an inciter and an abettor is deemed to have been committed both where the act of complicity was committed and where the offence by the perpetrator is deemed to have been committed.
If there is no certainty as to the place of commission, but there is justified reason to believe that an offence was committed in the territory of Finland, the offence is deemed to have been committed in Finland.
Chapter 1 (626/1996)
Scope of application of the criminal law of Finland
Section 12 (205/1997)
Prosecution order by the Prosecutor General
A criminal case shall not be considered in Finland without a prosecution order issued by the Prosecutor General, where:
1) the offence was committed abroad, or
2) the offence was committed by an alien on board a foreign vessel when the vessel was in Finland's territorial waters, or on board a foreign aircraft while the aircraft was in Finland’s airspace, and the offence was not directed at Finland, a Finnish citizen, an alien permanently resident in Finland or a Finnish corporate entity, a Finnish foundation or another Finnish legal person.
However, an order by the Prosecutor General is not required, if:
1) the offence was committed by a Finnish citizen or a person who under section 6 is equated with a Finnish citizen, and the offence was directed at Finland, a Finnish citizen, an alien permanently resident in Finland, or a Finnish corporate entity, a Finnish foundation or another Finnish legal person,
2) the offence was committed in Denmark, Iceland, Norway or Sweden and the competent prosecutor of the place of commission has requested that the offence be considered by a Finnish court, (441/2011)
3) the offence was committed on board a Finnish vessel while it was on the high seas or in a territory not belonging to any state or on board a Finnish aircraft while it was in or over such a territory,
4) the offence was committed on board a vessel or aircraft while it was in scheduled traffic between locations in Finland or between a location in Finland and a location in Denmark, Iceland, Norway or Sweden,
5) the offence shall be considered as a criminal case under the Military Court Procedure Act (326/1983), or
6) under the law, it is the President of the Republic or Parliament that decides whether charges are to be brought.
Chapter 1 (626/1996)
Scope of application of the criminal law of Finland
Section 13 (626/1996)
Foreign judgment
Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 1, the Prosecutor General may order that charges be
brought in Finland, if the judgment passed abroad was not based on a request made by a Finnish
authority or a request for extradition granted by the Finnish authorities and
1) under section 3, the offence is deemed to have been directed at Finland,
2) the offence is an offence in public office or a military offence referred to in section 4,
3) the offence is an international offence referred to in section 7, or
4) under section 10, the offence is deemed to have also been committed in Finland. However, the Prosecutor General shall not order charges to be brought for an offence that has been partially committed in the territory of that Member State of the European Union where the judgment was passed.
1. The Court has jurisdiction only with respect to crimes committed after the entry into force of this Statute.
2. If a State becomes a Party to this Statute after its entry into force, the Court may exercise its jurisdiction only with respect to crimes committed after the entry into force of this Statute for that State, unless that State has made a declaration under article 12, paragraph 3.
1. A State which becomes a Party to this Statute thereby accepts the jurisdiction of the Court with respect to the crimes referred to in article 5.
2. In the case of article 13, paragraph (a) or (c), the Court may exercise its jurisdiction if one or more of the following States are Parties to this Statute or have accepted the jurisdiction of the Court in accordance with paragraph 3:
(a) The State on the territory of which the conduct in question occurred or, if the crime was committed on board a vessel or aircraft, the State of registration of that vessel or aircraft;
(b) The State of which the person accused of the crime is a national.
3. If the acceptance of a State which is not a Party to this Statute is required under paragraph 2, that State may, by declaration lodged with the Registrar, accept the exercise of jurisdiction by the Court with respect to the crime in question. The accepting State shall cooperate with the Court without any delay or exception in accordance with Part 9.
The Court may exercise its jurisdiction with respect to a crime referred to in article 5 in accordance with the provisions of this Statute if:
(a) A situation in which one or more of such crimes appears to have been committed is referred to the Prosecutor by a State Party in accordance with article 14;
(b) A situation in which one or more of such crimes appears to have been committed is referred to the Prosecutor by the Security Council acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations; or
(c) The Prosecutor has initiated an investigation in respect of such a crime in accordance with article 15.